


BYOP

by dragon_temeraire



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: College Student Stiles, Everyone Is Alive, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Pack Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2016-09-06
Packaged: 2018-08-13 11:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7974814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragon_temeraire/pseuds/dragon_temeraire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles helps Derek revive a family tradition.</p>
            </blockquote>





	BYOP

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not sure what this is exactly, but I think it’s mostly just a giant pile of fluff. You’ve been warned.

Stiles swings by the loft on a Tuesday afternoon after his lecture, and is surprised to find that Derek has finally bought more furniture. Surprised, but also secretly pleased, because that means Derek is planning to _stay._

The most obvious addition is a huge oak dining table, which fits well in the empty space of the loft. Derek’s evidently been cleaning and fixing things up, too, because the windows don’t look grimy anymore, and the whole place smells faintly of fresh paint. The loft is starting to look like a place a normal person would live, rather than the home a tv-show vigilante who has no time for personal comfort.

“Hey, Derek,” he calls. “I like what you’ve done with the place. And nice table.” For once, he’s not being sarcastic, and he hopes Derek can tell. Scott says the sarcasm has become a permanent part of his tone.

Derek leans out from behind the bookshelf he’s assembling and gives him a small smile. “Thanks,” he says. “I figured it might come in handy.”

“For sure,” Stiles says, walking over and gently rapping his knuckles against the table top. “The pack could all eat dinner together here.” He watches Derek nod as he tightens a bolt.

“Hey, do you want some help?” he asks, because he knows its lame and boring to assemble furniture alone.

Derek stares at him for a long moment, probably remembering Stiles’ long history of clumsiness and general incoordination. “Sure,” he says cautiously. “Come hold this.”

Stiles helps Derek put together another bookshelf after that, then an end table and a night stand. It makes him feel productive, and it’s nice, spending time with Derek. Helping him in a situation that isn’t life or death.

Besides, the little frown Derek gets when he’s concentrating is totally adorable.

 

*

 

The next time he comes over, Derek is sitting at his new table, working a jigsaw puzzle. Natural light streams in through the wall of windows, and a radio plays softly in the background.

“Hey,” Stiles greets, sitting down opposite of Derek. “This is cool,” he says, picking up one of the pieces and eyeing it speculatively. It’s _tiny_. “Though I must say, I never saw you as much of a puzzle guy.” Derek would never make the top spot on Stiles’ list of Most Patient People, that’s for sure.

Derek nods, keeps his eyes on the puzzle. He has it almost half done already. “It was something my whole family used to do together. It was sort of a tradition,” he says, his lips quirking up at the corners. “And jigsaw puzzles are one of the few activities where having superhuman senses gives you no advantage. We were all on equal ground.”

“Oh,” Stiles says thoughtfully, watching Derek put in another piece. “That sounds really nice.” Derek’s obviously lost none of his ability, Stiles thinks, watching him. He’s very good, in an easy, confident way. Stiles, on the other hand, has worked very few puzzles in his life. “Can I help?” he asks anyway.

“Of course,” Derek says, looking up in surprise. “Please do.”

Stiles ends up staying more than an hour, but they finish the puzzle, much to his delight. He runs his hands over the finished picture, smoothing the pieces and feeling a sense of satisfaction. Derek smiles a little, watching him.

Before he leaves, Stiles makes sure to ask if it’s okay for the pack to come over Friday night. Derek gives him a questioning look, but readily agrees.

Stiles immediately starts planning.

 

*

 

The next afternoon he sends everyone a group message: _BYOP at Derek’s place this Friday._

He gets a whole flurry of questions in response, but he doesn’t get a chance to answer them until he’s out of the store.

 _BYOP means Bring Your Own Puzzle_ , he texts back. _But I’m kidding, I already got puzzles for everyone. Just make sure to be there!!!_

He uses three exclamation points for emphasis, because this is important.

He gets a slower trickle of agreements and acknowledgements, but eventually everyone says they’ll be there.

Stiles grins. His plan is coming together.

He confirms the time everyone’s planning to show up as he heads into the local thrift store. Then he double checks with Derek to make sure it’s okay for the pack to come over.

He can’t wait until Friday.

 

*

 

Stiles shows up first, and is surprised to see Derek’s table empty. When he asks about it, Derek says, “I worked all the puzzles I had around.”

Stiles figures they were in the stuff Derek had shipped from New York.

He sets his pile of bags down on the living room floor, ignoring Derek’s dubious look. He grins. “Everyone else should be here soon,” he says.

Sure enough, they all show up excited and talkative, and Derek seems gratified by their presence. He gets a little burst of secret joy when everyone compliments Derek on his new furniture.

Stiles sits down at the middle of the table, and the pack all crowd in and take their seats, looking expectant.

“All right,” Stiles says, grabbing one of the bags. “Tonight is puzzle night.”

He pulls out the puzzle he got for Derek, hands it over. It’s a pack of wolves, howling at the moon. It may be a cliché, but it’s still a beautiful picture. Besides, wolves always make him think of Derek.

“Thanks, Stiles,” Derek says quietly, setting the puzzle in front of him.

When Stiles hands Scott his puzzle, he immediately starts laughing, because Scott has to know what’s coming. It features R2-D2 and BB-8 together, with _Star Wars_ in huge letters behind the droids.

Scott gives him a dirty look, but then he starts laughing, too.

“I, um,” Isaac says from his spot on the other side of Stiles. “I’ve never worked a puzzle before.”

“It’s cool, man,” Stiles says easily. “I got you a little one to help you get started.” He hands Isaac a puzzle of a basket full of fluffy puppies. It’s only a hundred pieces.

Isaac looks delighted, but also a little like he wants to cry. “Thanks, Stiles,” he says with a wavering smile.

“Sure,” Stiles says, watching Isaac reverently open the lid of the puzzle, like no one’s ever given him a gift before. It makes his heart hurt, and he’s glad Isaac is here with them, now.

He keeps going, handing out everyone else’s puzzles. To Lydia, who’s not into jigsaws, he slides a book of Sudoku puzzles. Full of the extra hard ones he knows she likes.

Allison, at the other end of the table, gives him a wink and pulls out the case she brought. She unlatches it, pulls out some fletches, and proceeds to carefully assemble arrow after arrow.

Once everyone gets working, Stiles pulls out the other purchase he made. It’s an ipod and a small docking speaker.

“I loaded this with music I thought you’d like,” he says to Derek. “But if not, I can always put something else on, just let me know.”

“This is for me?” Derek says, as Stiles plugs it in at starts up the playlist. “Stiles, this is too nice.”

“No way,” Stiles says quickly, before Derek can say _I can’t accept this_. “You deserve nothing but the best.” He tries not to stare at the way Derek blushes, ducking his head, but he can’t help it.

They all work for a couple of hours, talking and laughing and helping each other out. Scott gets half of his puzzle worked, then cheers Isaac on as he assembles his. Boyd ignores everyone and works quietly and methodically, while Erica is constantly distracted from her Catwoman puzzle, often dropping the pieces on the floor. She takes the opportunity to tickle Boyd’s knees every time she bends down to pick them up.

Allison finishes a batch of arrows, and she tells Derek how impressed she is when she sees how much of his puzzle he’s finished. When Scott gives her a sad puppy face, she laughingly compliments his skills, too.  

When they leave for the night, everyone’s in high spirits, eager to come back and work on their puzzles some more.

Derek tells them they’re welcome back any time.

 

*

 

It becomes a regular thing.

The pack starts coming over every week to hang out and work puzzles together. They still have pack meetings, usually at Scott’s house, but the days they spend at the loft are always a good chance for them to bond and connect, to get really comfortable around each other.

Everyone likes spending time at Derek’s. Stiles has filled one of Derek’s bookshelves with an eclectic mix of games and puzzles, so there’s always something to do. And each pack member has taken Derek’s ipod home, adding all their favorite songs. There’s always something good playing.

Derek’s loft is often filled with laughter and fun, now.

And Derek’s couch is really comfortable, so someone almost always ends up on it, sprawled out and eating snacks they raided from Derek’s kitchen. It’s a good place to wait out a rainy day, that’s for sure.

It’s Stiles, though, who’s there the most. The loft is practically his second home. He usually comes by after class, does his homework while Derek works a puzzle next to him. He’s so comfortable there, he often dozes off on the couch, and doesn’t wake up until the next morning. Usually with Derek standing over him with a cup of coffee and a small smile.

He hardly ever goes home anymore. His dad never even questions it, and Stiles isn’t sure what that means.

He’s afraid he’s getting too comfortable in Derek’s space, but Derek doesn’t really seem to mind. He never seems annoyed by Stiles, even when he gets a burst of energy at two in the morning and can’t keep still. Even when he’s anxious and restless, demanding that Derek help him with his test reviews.

Stiles keeps catching Derek giving him these little fond looks, too. Like he’s genuinely happy to have Stiles around, eating his food and drooling on his pillows.

“Thank you,” Derek says quietly one afternoon, while they’re working on another puzzle.

“For what?” Stiles asks idly, pawing through the pieces. He can’t find what he’s looking for.

“For helping me continue the tradition,” Derek says. “For encouraging the pack to join in, to spend time here.”

Stiles hears the silent ‘ _with me’_ at the end of that sentence, and it makes his heart ache. He never wants Derek to feel lonely. “Yeah, it feels more like a real pack, now,” he says lightly.

“It does,” Derek says, completely serious. “And I want to thank you for that, too.”

“Hey, I just wanted everyone to be happy, you know?” Stiles says, carefully assembling some pieces. “You, most of all,” he mumbles to himself.

“Why?” Derek asks, in a searching tone that brings Stiles’ head up.

“I…” Stiles begins, but he knows Derek would see through any lie he tried. “Because you deserve it,” he says quietly. He knows that’s true.

“You really mean that,” Derek says in surprise, his eyes darting over Stiles’ face, searching.

“Of course I mean it. Of course I want you to be happy,” Stiles huffs defensively. “Because I’m in love with you,” he finishes hurriedly, before he can lose his nerve. “Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Derek asks softly.

“I didn’t mean to make things awkward,” Stiles says, pushing his chair back from the table. “I can stop coming around so much.”

“Actually, I was hoping you’d come around a little more,” Derek says with a small smile. “Because I’m in love with you, too.”

“No way,” Stiles blurts, halfway out of his seat, then stares in wonder when Derek starts laughing.

Derek carefully takes Stiles’ hand, twining their fingers together. “Yes, way,” he says, in the most serious voice he can muster.

Stiles laughs this time, spurred on by Derek’s delighted expression. He’s still laughing when Derek leans across the table and kisses him.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: the table was originally going to be mahogany, but the Hunger Games has totally ruined that word for me, and now I can't take it seriously. 
> 
> Feel free to come by and prompt me/talk to me [ on tumblr](http://dragon-temeraire.tumblr.com/).


End file.
